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I just came across this blog post this morning, and I have to say, I'm a little disappointed, if not surprised. In trying to gather information for existing stories and even to just say hello and see what's new, I've come across the same hang ups, and the same very short behavior.
In the preceding, linked blog post, this poor person was met not only with rudeness from her central station operator, but an overwhelming display of nonchalant unconcern. You can almost see the operator shrugging and staring off into space while jawing on a wad of gum like cud, as if to say "not my problem."
A central station operator is the most important facet of an alarm system owner's interaction with the security industry. The operator is the liaison between the end user and everyone else. Most likely, when an operator is dealing with an end user the end user is going to be scared, worked up, angry, confused... the list goes on and on. It's an operator's job to be calm, kind, helpful, knowledgeable and accommodating. Training, training, training.
It's just too bad this end user now has bad feelings about not only the security industry, but humanity in general, due to one operator's specific handling of an incident. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

The recession is bringing out more and more of these so-called business experts teaching people how to make money.
This guy advocates promoting your door-to-door security business with a checkered dog:
I find him strangely entertaining. But also a moron.

You'll see a profile of the company in our April issue, but in case you can't wait that long, AOptix has made some news by landing $12.9 million in funding. (I'm guessing it would have been $13 million, but that's bad luck?)
Here are some details:

AOptix Technologies Inc., a Campbell, Calif.-based developer of iris recognition systems and ultra-high bandwidth laser communication solutions, has raised $12.9 million in Series D funding. Northgate Capital led the round, and was joined by return backers Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Clearstone Venture Partners, DAG Ventures, W Capital Partners and Lehman Brothers. The company has now raised over $60 million in total VC funding.

They're not a pure-play security company, obviously, so maybe I shouldn't call them "new" in the headline, but just this month they launched their security product (warning: that link's a pdf), which they call the "InSight," and which elevates iris recognition systems by making it so you don't have to stand all up close to the wall unit and stare into it. You just look in the general direction of the unit and stand within about a meter square area and, voila, you get recognized.
I have not actually seen this demonstrated, but it sounds cool over the phone.
I'm not sure how much of the money will go toward development of the security line, vs. their other optical imaging lines, but I'll call and find out what I can.

More than one industry leader has referenced the stimulus package as a potential boon for the security industry.
Here's AMAG chief Bob Sawyer talking about "shovel-ready" projects, for example.
Our lead newswire story references a webinar where the stimulus was oft-referenced.
But SIA has expressed some displeasure with how security was treated in that package and I wonder how much of it will really make its way to the electronic security industry we hold near and dear.
Security has such a wide definition that nearly anything can be justified as security: gas masks, haz-mat suits, helicopters, police cars, sidearms, better communications systems, training - the list is nearly endless at some point.
This comes to mind as I read this story about money supposedly directed toward "border security" down in Texas.

While Gov. Rick Perry's Office of Emergency Management had "generally" ensured that more than $79 million spent between September 2005 and November 2008 was effectively used to combat border crime, the State Auditor's Office found a handful of examples of squad cars, helicopters and other resources that never made it to Texas' southern frontier.

Check out some of the details:

While the ACLU report primarily focused on the activities of border police and sheriff's departments, the auditor's review analyzed spending within the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Governor's Division of Emergency Management, which together received approximately $142.3 million in state and federal funds between the 2006 and 2009 fiscal years.
To date, the agencies have spent just over half of that money, primarily on salaries, equipment and third-party contracts, the auditor's office found.
Those purchases included:
>> A total of 105 new DPS squad cars that were spread across the state rather than along the border. The department sent 106 used cars to border counties.
>> A $7.4 million helicopter that has since been stationed in Austin. DPS redeployed an old helicopter to Laredo.
>> Five new commissioned officers in the DPS Aircraft Division who were assigned to duty stations outside of the state's six border operational sectors.
The department also failed to establish a planned $1 million Rio Grande Valley Border Security and Technology Training Center slated for Hidalgo County, citing insufficient funds, the audit states.
"The (audit) recommendation indicates that resources should be placed in the most critical areas of the border," DPS management said in its response to the report. "We note that the criticality of various areas of the border varies because of a constantly changing threat."

Note how that training center is the only thing on the list that looks like it would have benefited electronic security, and there was no money for that, in the end.
When politicians and bureaucrats think about protecting the critical infrastructure that's prioritized in the stimulus package, are they going to be thinking about analytics and cameras and access control integration and PSIM? Or are they going to be thinking about helicopters and police officers and squad cars? Who's out there educating local officials about the ways that security technology can eliminate the need for some of those officers and helicopters and squad cars? That education and lobbying is vital to the ongoing health of the industry.

that's what the press release said, but they're not rushing to call back the press with further info. At least, they won't call me back.
Here's the press release
It a company out of Denver called Nationwide Fire Protection Corp, and they sent out a press release a few days ago saying they'll train "aspiring business owners" to get into the fire protection business. Nationwide, the release says, will train you and "turn over existing accounts in the territory covered by the newly trained fire protection job specialists." (I guess that's what you are before you start your own business? )
From what I can tell, Nationwide specializes in the restaurant business and does a lot of kitchen hood systems. Its Web site says it does fire alarm installation as well.
I emailed yesterday, called once yesterday and twice today to get some more information, to see if they're trying to start a franchising or if they're just looking for technicians. The person who answers the phone today said the owner got my messages and he'll call me back when he gets a chance, but she wasn't sure when that would be.

I was pleased to see get an email recently from John Sternal, proprietor of the Understanding Marketing website, concerning a new toolkit for small business owners, including security products professionals.
According to the attached release:

Security products professionals need help promoting their services in this market but do not wish to hire a PR agency for increased media exposure. To help overcome this, Understanding Marketing [on March 17] launched the PR Toolkit, an affordable new e-Book that helps smaller firms generate their own public relations tactics to increase their client base.
Authored by John Sternal, a seasoned PR professional of nearly 20 years, the new PR Toolkit provides insight to help small businesses leverage the power of media awareness to promote their companies and generate bigger profits. Understanding Marketing offers DIY marketing and PR information for small businesses and the PR Toolkit serves as an agency-in-a-box for any company looking to insource and get publicity on a shoestring budget.

Well, any small business could use all the PR help they can get in this economy.

GE Security in Pittsfield is cutting its workforce, likely by more than one-third.
About 430 people work at the plant.
Just before the end of the first shift Wednesday, company officials called workers together to tell them the news: due to a drop in sales, they have to cut jobs.
They asked first for a voluntary reduction, offering severance packages with benefits.
Company spokesperson Michelle May tells TV-5 the number of jobs that will be cut depends on how many people take the voluntary package.
But, she says it's likely more than 100 people will permanently lose their jobs.
Some workers at the plant were already on month-long furloughs.

Obviously, this is a very small portion of the GE Security workforce, and companies have to do what they have to do to stay profitable (or avoid losses) in bad economic times, but these are the kinds of layoffs that really hurt a community because, I can assure you, there's really not much else going on in Pittsfield, Maine. It's pretty close to the middle of nowhere:

VSI Viscount Selected for Obama Hookerbucks Program.
VSI Viscount is pleased to announce the company has been selected by the US Government as the official co-sponsor of the launch of the Obama Hookerbucks program. Attendees to the upcoming ISC WEST Security Conference will receive complementary Hookerbucks at the VSI booth.
As part of the US Government's $3 Trillion budget, the $30 Billion Obama Hookerbucks program is expected to be the key to stimulating the Las Vegas economy. Stephen Pineau, CEO of Viscount, commented, "The public is being screwed by the whole mess anyways so at least this way attendees will have something to show for it."

I did not make that up. I swear. Unless someone has hijacked Pineau's email address, I can confirm it came directly from him.
Hookerbucks. Get 'em while they're hot.
This is the same guy, remember, who held a wake for the access control panel in 2007, famously parading through the ISC West show floor with a coffin and, if I remember correctly, bagpipes. So he's got a flair for the dramatic.

On the heels of the Harrah's news yesterday, MGM/Mirage just released their numbers today. Not good.
Here's the summary:
2007 net income: $1.6 billion
2008 net loss: $855 million
No surprise, they blame the economy.
Just in the fourth quarter, here's what happened:

Gaming revenues decreased 17% for the fourth quarter. The Company's total table games volume (including baccarat) decreased 17% in the quarter, with the overall table games hold percentage near the midpoint of the Company's normal 18% to 22% range in the 2008 period, lower than the 2007 period when the hold percentage was near the top end of the range. Slots revenues decreased 12% company-wide. Rooms revenue decreased 21% as market conditions impacted rates and occupancy leading to a 21% decrease in Las Vegas Strip REVPAR(1). Average room rates decreased 15% at the Company's Las Vegas Strip resorts and occupancy decreased from 93% to 85%.

We're staying at Treasure Island for ISC West (again, we booked our rooms too soon, I fear). There better be some $5 blackjack tables!